The present invention relates to a method for producing two-component or three-component lead zirconate-titanate and, more particularly, to a method for producing a ceramic material containing zirconium for use as a ceramics, for example, in a piezoelectric unit, an optoelectronic material, a dielectric unit or a sensor, etc.
Two-component lead zirconate-titanate represented, for example, by PbZrO.sub.3 -PbTiO.sub.3 and three-component lead zirconate-titanate represented by PbZrO.sub.3 -PbTiO.sub.3 -Pb(MNb)O.sub.3 (where M is at least one of Mg, Zn and Ni, part of Pb can be substituted for at least one type of Ba, Sr and Ca) have excellent piezoelectric characteristic, and are used in a wide range of fields as a material for forming an actuator or a sensor, etc.
Heretofore, in order to produce such a porcelain composition, sole material powder of oxide of component of two-component or three-component lead zirconate-titanate in which part of lead is, for example, substituted for any of lanthanide elements is used, weighed, mixed in a ball mill or a thoron mill for 10 to 50 hours, and dried by a drying method to produce a mixture. The dried mixture is then calcined at 700.degree. to 900.degree. C. for 2 to 10 hours, and the calcined powder has 1 to 2 microns of mean particle diameter.
However, in the composition produced in this method, the dispersibility of ZrO.sub.2 is not suitable to be readily coagulated, and varies in its composition within solid solution. Thus, ZrO.sub.2 is not easily sintered, and must be sintered at high temperature. Since the mean particle diameter of the composition powder is large, it is difficult to form a PZT (Piezoelectric) porcelain which is in high density and high function.